Community

Evelyn Cormier heads back to the studio

By GLYNIS HART
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CLAREMONT – It’s over, but not really. After her elimination in the Top 14 Results episode of “American Idol,” local songstress Evelyn Cormier is back in the studio working on an album. But, there’s still a chance one of the judges can bring her back in a wild card round.

“I don’t know how it’s going to end,” said Cormier, who’s back in Claremont. “All the shows are pre-recorded except the last two shows.”

Now, she’s planning to use the momentum gained from the “American Idol” exposure to push her career forward. She’s working on another album at Rocking Horse Studios in Pittsfield, with Brian Coombes. She likes acoustic, folk, independent music and she is currently listening to Carly Simon, Death Cab for Cutie, the Smiths, and “I always listen to a lot of Del Ray.”

“I’m working on all original music that I’m going to put together, kind of like a demo,” she said. She’ll send it around to other recording companies if, or when, her contract with “American Idol” is done.

But that’s up in the air. “I still have to wait out the ‘AI’ contract for two months,” said Cormier. “Right now at least I have time to pull a new album together.”

She describes the new album as “acousticky, and still very chill. I don’t think I’m straying from my style. I’m thinking of naming it ‘Acoustic Dreaming.’”

She’s also contributing vocals to a Genesis tribute album, working on that with Coombes, and there’s a possibility of a tour in England, where “American Idol” is seen on television.

“I don’t feel any different,” she said of her ‘AI’ fame. “It’s a weird thing to experience. I don’t feel different, but some people do treat me different. People in Claremont are usually pretty OK with leaving me alone, but in other places it can happen that people just stop me and want to talk about ‘American Idol.’ Sometimes younger girls do and that’s okay.

“My family keeps me grounded. They’ll tell me things I need to hear,” she said.

As for fame, “They don’t feel super shocked by this. I’ve always been a super-motivated, driven person,” said Cormier.

Contestants on “American Idol” must pay (~$1,600) to join AFTRA, the American Federation of Radio and Television Artists, and then are paid the hourly rate (~$1,000) for their television appearances. They still have to shoulder the cost of living where they’re taping, but they do get a clothing allowance.

“They had a style team that worked with us to choose our clothes,” said Cormier. “They’d show us a mood board they created for us online, and then they went out and got a bunch of things for us to try. Then they’d see what worked with the lights and the rest of the show. They really did want to highlight us as individuals.”

After the show she received some advice from Katy Perry, which boils down to: Move to Los Angeles. “Music wise, recording-wise, she thinks LA is the better place for me than Nashville.”

Although she wasn’t in town during the “American Idol” shows, she knew about the watch party at Remix and all the support in the community. “Ramunto’s even did a deal on my favorite pizza (Hawaiian), and I actually worked there when I was 15.”

She continues to be involved in the community. “Today I’m going to be throwing the first pitch at the Stevens baseball game,” she said Friday.

She’s also planning to play at Remix in May. “A lot of stuff I’m just waiting on,” she said. “It won’t be too long. If ‘AI’ doesn’t want me to sign with their label, I’ll be free to choose another one.”

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